Wolfsbane and Chocolate
by HammersNStrings
Summary: Nymphadora Tonks has decided that it is now her goal in life to become Remus Lupin's personal Potions Mistress. However, that means lessons with everyone's favorite Potions Master, one Severus Snape. COMPLETE: Epilogue, The Potions Mistress.
1. A Chocolatey Greeting

**Author's Note: **This fic was written as a sweet dessert for those of you who ingested the bitter herbs of my last fic, "Hands Outstretched". I had initially intended this to be a one-shot fluff piece and I really had no clue as to where it was going, but the idea of Tonks going through lessons with our favorite Potions Master to learn how to brew Wolfsbane could be fun, especially since Snape is one of my favorite characters to write. We'll see where it goes, but for now, enjoy your dessert!

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><p><strong>Wolfsbane and Chocolate<strong>

As she strolled into number twelve Grimmauld Place, Nymphadora Tonks was immediately greeted with an extra large chocolate bar being pushed in her face.

"Hey what th-" the rest of her statement was cut off thanks to her feet tripping, once again, over that damned troll leg umbrella stand.

She snapped her eyes shut, waiting for the jolt of pain on her backside to come, but she instead felt two powerful hands catching her elbows and helping her back to her feet.

"Sorry, Nym- I mean, Tonks…" Remus Lupin smiled from behind her and took the opportunity to breathe in the smell of her shampoo, which was quickly becoming one of his most favorite scents.

"But you were just… how did you… wha?" Tonks cautiously spun around and confronted her savior.

"Well, it _is_ the waxing moon, so my reflexes may be more… ahem." He looked down with a slight blush and then hastily excused himself, drawing an immediate interest to the drapery inside number twelve's study.

Tonks giggled and followed Remus into the library, doing her best to avoid all of the obstacles in the room and sneak behind him. Remus, whose attention had shifted from the drapes to the extensive catalogue of books, jumped ever so slightly at the delicate hands that were wrapped around his waist.

"You're getting a little bit better at stealth," he mused as he allowed his hands to rest on top of hers.

"Constant vigilance!" she growled with her best gruff voice.

"Tonks, if I turn around and I'm looking into the eyes of Mad-Eye Moody, I may just have to leave Grimmauld Place and thoroughly wash myself to get the image out."

The two chuckled. Tonks spun Remus around to reveal that other than a peculiar look of iron gray tips, it was indeed his Nymphadora. "Ah ha, so you WERE…"

"Concealment… and disguise practice?" she smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, that's what that was," Remus mused. He took a deep breath and looked his companion in the eyes. _Merlin she has beautiful eyes…_

"Tonks, you know that the full moon is tomorrow night, and I'm going to be-"

He was cut off by her soft lips pressed against his. Remus's eyes went wide at the initial shock of it, then gently closed as he immersed himself in the beautiful feeling. After what seemed like ages, she eased away.

"Remus John Lupin, I am not leaving this house. You know as well as I do that the Wolfsbane Potion that Snape gives you is perfect and that you wouldn't harm me at all. Hence the whole human mind in wolf's body thing… unless you forgot what Wolfsbane does to you."

Remus shook his head. "No, no. I can remember things all too well. And Snape doesn't exactly have an affinity for the Marauders, so he may accidentally slip sometime." The words had an unintended bite to them.

"Remus, I didn't mean… I just… I just want to be here with you. I love you and I'm not going to just let you go sulk in your wolfish form. Dammit, I'm going to show you that I'm not afraid of you!" The resolve in her eyes was evident.

"Fine. You can stay, but Sirius is staying watch during the transformation. If there's any danger, he's getting you out of the room as quickly as he can. Deal?"

"Deal." She lifted a gloved hand to her forehead in a salute. "And if you're so worried about Snape, why don't you get someone else to make it for you?"

"Unfortunately, it takes an experienced Potions Master to brew one successfully. Make it too strong, and the subject dies. Make it too weak, and it loses its desired effect. Severus is one of the few in Wizarding Britain that can properly brew it."

"Then you know what? I'm going to learn!" Tonks pushed her hands to her hips in determination. "If you're soooooo worried about attacking me, then maybe I have incentive to make it the right way! And that way, I can be with you, wolfy or not."

The glint in her eyes made it evident that he would never in a million years win this fight. Remus resigned himself to his fate. "If that's what you wish… it will take a lot of work, and believe me, I can understand if I'm not worth-"

She gently placed a gloved finger to his lips. "No more of that. This is something I want to do- for us. I promise I won't bug Snape until after the full moon. That way he won't be insulted that you want a new batch. Then I'll do whatever it takes to be your own personal Potions Mistress."

She giggled and gave him an exaggerated wink. Remus rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded remarkably like "yes, dear," and turned back to face his books.

He was once again assaulted by the Auror's arms on his waist as she wrapped him into one last tight hug. "My lunch break is over in a minute. I'll be back after work and we can enjoy the night before the full moon together."

Remus patted her hands and nodded. "That sounds lovely." He quickly spun around to plant a kiss on her forehead and saw her out the door. "See you tonight, then."

With a giggle and a blown kiss, Nymphadora Tonks disapperated out of sight, leaving her magnificent scent wafting in the air for a moment. Remus sighed and smiled, allowing himself to be content in the moment. He reached down into his front pocket to dislodge the chocolate bar he had off- oh, she's gotten good...

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><p><strong>Postscript:<strong> So here we go! This will definitely be a multi-chapter fic, but I'm not sure if I'm going to detail the full moon or perhaps a date, or if I should just jump right to asking Snape for help. What do you guys think?

Thanks in advance!

-HnS


	2. Date on a Full Moon

**Author's Note: Oh yes, the chapter title here is soooo original. XD Anyway, I decided that in order to keep the ball rolling on this fic (and to hopefully encourage me to keep writing), I would put Remus and Tonks on a date before Tonks goes off and meets Snape.**

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><p><strong>Date on the Full Moon<strong>

The regular patrons at the upscale Muggle restaurant noted the oddity of the couple sitting beside one of the windows. The woman, though presented quite nicely in an elegant turquoise dress, had the strange audacity to wear her hair the exact same color. The man was dressed in what was clearly his finest outfit, but one that couldn't measure to the other gentlemen seated at the tables. The Muggle restaurant goers scoffed and chuckled to themselves at the man's shabby appearances and the way he looked too ill to digest his dessert.

"Nymphadora, they're staring..." he muttered.

"First off, you can call me either Tonks or Dora, but never that vile name, lest I hex you into next week. Secondly, maybe we should give these Muggles something to stare about?" She gave her companion a wink and discreetly licked her lips.

"N-no! Not that it wouldn't be, er, lovely... but... we're clearly out of place!"

"Remus Lupin, you told me that I could take you on a date whenever and wherever I pleased. We have more than enough money to cover the meal, and we'll get you back before moonrise."

Even as she brought it up, Remus couldn't help but look out at the red sky. "But I can't take any chances! The Ministry would have a field day with this, and I would surely be executed! I can just see the headline of the 'Daily Prophet'. Werewolf Kills Hundreds of Muggles at Restaurant."

"Will you stop being over-dramatic! You've already taken your Wolfsbane and the waiter will be returning with our change in a minute! Now stop worrying!"

Remus grudgingly adjusted his posture in the plush seat. Upon the waiter's return, the couple left a very generous tip, left the restaurant, and found a safe apparating point, returning to number twelve Grimmauld Place.

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><p>Sirius Black greeted his best friend and favorite cousin with a customary grin. "Moony! Tonksie! Glad to have my two favorite people in the whole wide world back! And Moony, looking so brilliant!"<p>

Remus and Tonks slowly moved their heads toward each other in disbelief. In an instant, Tonks's wand pressed against Sirius's throat.

"What did I do in this house when mum brought me over as a three year old?"

Sirius gave an even wider grin, if that was possible, and laughed heartily at the memory. "Oh, if memory serves me correctly, the wee Tonksie decided it would be a good idea to give the portrait of my dear old mum a colorful tuneup, and despite her wretched screaming, you managed to leave a nice neon pink line on her pure-blooded cheek."

Tonks nodded and sheathed her wand, satisfied with the answer. "Miserable old hag still has that tattoo then?"

"Oh, I'm sure of it, but come to think of it, I haven't seen her aside from when I whip those curtains back into place. HEY MOONY! WHY DON'T WE START TALKING REEEEEALLY LOUDLY AND-"

His shouts were cut off mid-sentence by the hysterical wails of Walburga Black. "FILTH! HALFBREEDS! SHAPESHIFTING SCUM!"

This only further encouraged the clearly mental Sirius Black. "AND WE CAN GET HER SCREAMING AND SEE IF TONKSIE HERE WANTS TO DOODLE AGAIN!"

Remus, already weary due to the full moon steadily approaching, gave a growl and ran to the portrait of the Black matriarch and slammed them shut.

"Padfoot, shut UP!"

Sirius immediately stopped, his smile never leaving his face. "Oh, Moony... you know we have to have a little bit of fun before your furry little problem sets in..."

"Right, well I'm headed upstairs to prepare. I'm still not happy about Nymphadora seeing me like this, but I can only hope that she sees the monster I become and chooses to leave."

With a frown and a curt nod, Remus ascended the old wooden staircase and slammed his bedroom door. Though frowning, Tonks gave her cousin another incredulous look. "So... what's gotten you so chipper?"

Sirius merely grinned again. "Well... while you and Moony were enjoying your ever-so-romantic early dinner, we had a visitor! Oh yes, Emmaline Vance may or may not have been given the false information that there was an important meeting tonight, discussing the next Guard Duty situation... then she may or may not have come face-to-face with the infamously handsome Sirius Black... and then, she may or may not have been the willing participant of certain – devious acts with said infamously handsome Sirius Black."

"Oi, that's bloody disgusting! Just please tell me you kept it confined to your room and nowhere that people usually sit or eat at."

"Ah, my dear Tonksie, a lady never asks and a gentleman never tells!"

"That's not even how it goes, you git! On second thought, I don't even want to know. You didn't invade my room or Remus's, did you?"

"On the honor of the Most Noble House of Black, I, Sirius Orion Black, promise to you that I did not do it in yours or Remus's bedrooms."

"Good."

Their conversation was interrupted by scratching coming from one of the upstairs doors. Sirius looked at the staircase and then back to his cousin. You wait at the landing while I go make sure all is clear. If we're okay, Snuffles will let you know."

Tonks nodded and nearly had to cover her ears as she heard the vigorous stomps of Sirius's feet hitting each and every step, and then the opening and closing of a rickety wooden door. As seconds turned to minutes, Tonks began to fear for the worst. _What if he was hurt? What if the Muggle food reacted poorly with the Wolfsbane? What if..._

_BARK! BARK!_

The sound of an enormous dog at play flooded the House of Black. Tonks grabbed the curtains covering Walburga Black. She whipped them open momentarily- only enough time to stick her tongue out at the portrait and confirm the neon pink line down the witch's left cheek- and then forced the curtains back shut.

Tonks took the stairs two at a time and tripped on the upstairs landing. She brushed herself off and made her way to the door where all the barking was coming from. She opened it slowly and then slid her way inside the room, looking at the scene before her.

The bounding black dog was having quite a time chasing his own tail and yelping loudly. On top of the bed was a gray wolf, laying down with his head between his paws, his tail wagging madly. He looked over to the pink haired witch that entered and emitted a low growl.

Tonks walked up to the werewolf and swatted him on the nose. "No! Bad wolfy! You said that I could be here if everything was okay, and it is. So I'm staying!"

She sat down on the bed and began to stroke the wolf's mane. He looked up at her with sad eyes. Tonks placed a kiss on his snout and continued petting, being sure to scratch behind his ears. The wolf's rear leg began to twitch at this motion, so she happily obliged until the wolf sat up and licked her cheek.

"Oi! Look, Remus, I love you and all that, but I don't think we're ready to take our relationship to this level!" She groaned and wiped the slobber off on the long sleeve of her overcoat. She immediately disregarded the coat, setting it on one of the bedroom chairs, and cuddled back against the wolf, who was once again giving her the sad puppy eyes treatment.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, you great oaf! How would you like it if I was to just slobber all over you?"

She was answered by the howling of the black dog, which quickly changed back into the laughing form of Sirius Black.

"I didn't mean it like that, you pervert!"

Sirius shrugged and patted his cousin on the head. "Now now, Tonksie... I would never suggest that you did such naughty things, especially with my best mate Moony." He rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'm going to head out. It seems Moony is fine enough, and I wanted to think a little more about my time with Emmaline before bed, if you know what I-"

A flying coat struck him in the face before he could finish his sentence. Sirius pulled the coat from his face and wrapped it around his shoulder. "Why thank you for the lovely coat, Tonksie!"

Tonks sighed and rolled her eyes as her cousin exited the room. "Sometimes he can become a bit too much, eh?"

The wolf gave its best nod as the witch moved over to the bathroom. "I'm just going to change into my pyjamas and then I'll be right back."

The wolf gave another grumble as the witch closed the door. Minutes later, she returned in a t-shirt and comfortable sleeping pants with rubber ducks on them. "What? I see that look you're giving me, Mr. Wolfy. I happen to love these pyjama pants and I think that Arthur Weasley would be quite fond of them as well. _Oh you know I didn't mean it like that! _Sometimes you're just as bad as Sirius!"

The wolf merely wagged his tail in delight as Tonks morphed her spiky pink hair into a vivid blonde color, matching the ducks. The wolf squinted and growled slightly.

"Oh fine. Can't let a girl have her fun, can you?" she muttered as her hair became a less offensive golden blonde.

Tonks took a look at one of the clocks in the bedroom. Noting that it was half past one, Tonks pulled the tucked covers away and settled in. She patted the region next to her, allowing the wolf to shimmy hiss body above the covers and rest his snout against her arm.

She gave a contented sigh. Despite his wolfish form, Tonks was sleeping in her lover's bed with her lover. As she allowed the night's events to replay in her mind, she thought to herself that it wasn't such a bad night for a full moon.

Closing her eyes, Tonks made a mental note about the trip to Hogwarts she needed make the next day. Though not at all excited to see the Potions Master, it would still be a great chance to catch up with her other professors. A smile crept to her lips as she drifted to sleep, only aided by the soft breaths coming from her furry sleeping partner.

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><p><strong>Postscript: So there we go! Who knew that despite his hangups, Remus Lupin could have very convincing puppy eyes. Would love to hear from any reviewers out there. I love input as to where the story should go to next, though I'm pretty set on Snape coming up now. Good, bad or otherwise, let me know what you thought!<strong>


	3. Headmaster and Potions Master

_**Author's Note: I was really looking forward to writing this chapter because it meant I got to write both Dumbledore AND Snape, which is always a fun challenge for me. Hopefully I captured their essences nicely. **_

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><p><strong>Headmaster and Potions Master<strong>

After a short rest, Tonks quickly showered and dressed, taking special care to tuck Remus into bed after his surely excruciating transformation back. She placed a gentle kiss on his forehead and made her way down the creaky stairs as quietly as she could. Once outside the house, she looked out at the gorgeous Saturday weather and turned on her heel, apparating just outside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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><p>"<em>Accio Dreamweaver!"<em> Tonks shouted as she flicked her wand. A faint crack and wooshing sound could be heard from the distance. Argus Filch's old locks and chains were no match for the powerful spell, as the old broom sped from its confines and into the arms of its rightful owner.

Tonks took a minute to examine her broomstick – not a twig out of place, and the familiar loopy pink handwriting was still perfectly etched in the wood. "Tonks's Dreamweaver". She bit her lower lip in a smile and mounted the broom, then sent herself skyward. She took a moment to look over the surroundings, breathing in the fresh air and looking down upon the grounds she called home for seven years. Remembering her duty at hand, she gracefully slipped into an open window and was greeted by a familiar gargoyle.

"Password?"

"Oh bugger... umm... lemon drop?"

The gargoyle stood its grown, the permanent scowl carved onto its face almost mocking her.

"Fizzing whizbee? No... umm... acid pops?"

"Last chance, Miss Tonks," the raspy voice reminded her.

She finally groaned and stomped her foot. Frustrated, she closed her eyes and concentrated hard on that familiar face. Her spiky pink locks took on an ivory white color as her hair descended down her back. Hair also formed on her cheeks and chin, that too growing longer and longer until reaching her thighs.

She put her wand to her throat and muttered a spell as silently as possible, then turned to the gargoyle.

"Oh, hello Divinius," she said in a voice not her own. "I'm just returning from a rather unfortunate incident between Peeves and a group of second years. If you could please let me back in?"

The gargoyle nodded and retreated, revealing the winding stone staircase that led to the headmaster's office. Though he was expecting her, Dumbledore's attention shifted from his various instruments and papers to the door. "Please come in."

As the door opened, Albus Dumbledore came face to face with Albus Dumbledore. The true Dumbledore gave a haughty chuckle. "Ah, and I was afraid I was looking older and more frail!"

Tonks blushed as she quickly shook her head, dismissing the long white hair and beard, while changing her voice back to normal. "Sorry, Professor! I-"

"It is quite alright! I was expecting to go retrieve you, but when I heard Divinius grant you access, I figured you must have had something up your sleeve. Now... what brings you here on such a lovely Saturday?"

Tonks chose her next words carefully. "Professor... I was wondering... if you knew anybody that was capable of teaching me how to make Wolfsbane. Perhaps you yourself?"

"Ah, Miss Tonks... I see that you would still rather ingest several Blast Ended Skrewts than take another potions lesson with Professor Snape. Alas, I fear my dear friend Horace Slughorn has fallen off the grid, as it were, so he cannot be of service to you at this time. Therefore, it seems that the most qualified to teach you such a complex potion would indeed be Professor Snape."

Tonks wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Perhaps Professor Snape would be more willing to help you if you were to tell him your newly discovered affinity for potions brewing thanks to your Auror training?"

This forced a grin to form on her lips. "Yes, maybe something like that, then."

"May I ask why you have a desire to brew such a potion? Perhaps a familiar werewolf would like it brewed from someone who takes more of a liking to him?"

She was taken aback at the comment. "Uh... no, Professor. I can't imagine what you're talking about." She did her best, but the twinkling in her former headmaster's eyes showed that he could see right through it.

"Oh. Very well, then. I wish you luck in your journey to create such a difficult concoction, Miss Tonks!"

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><p>Her mutters and grumbles were only echoed by the cold stone walls of the Hogwarts dungeons. Though Snape had always said that the setting was perfect for the preservation of ingredients, she believed that it was because he was allergic to sunlight.<p>

Another mutter of "Remus better not push me away after this" pushed itself down the hallway as she came to a halt at the door of the Potions Master. With a long sigh, she knocked on the big oak door.

The black hair was the first thing she noticed, and then the beady black eyes, followed quickly by the hooked nose. "Nymphadora..."

She cringed and curled her right hand into a fist at the sound of her first name.

"...I thought the torture was over when I was kind enough to give you an A on your OWL. Clearly you couldn't take that as a hint?"

Tonks gave a loud yawn at the droll sarcasm. "Look. I know you didn't care much for me in your potions class, and I'm not hesitant to admit that Potions wasn't my favorite class, but I'm here to offer you a barter."

Snape raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? And here I was thinking that you were here to merely torment me with your vomit-inducing pink hair. However, I don't have all day, Nymphadora, and small talk with someone who barely passed Auror training is not high on my to-do list, so you had best be out with it, girl."

Tonks sneered before taking a deep breath and looking into his beady eyes. "Fine. I'm offering you a way to get out of making the Wolfsbane potion for Remus Lupin every month."

Snape rolled his eyes. "I should have known that your taste in men would be as poor as your taste in hair colour. But what do _you_ get out of this? Surely such a sweet blessing can't come without a price."

"Well... you'd have to teach me."

She could feel the scoff form on his face. "Yes, I'm not happy about it either, but Dumbledore said-"

"Dumbledore said I am the best to teach you, because I am. And such lessons would take time and energy and at least three full moons for someone to perfect... In fact, I would give you four, knowing your prior track record."

Tonks could only glare as the Potions Master carefully considered it. His fingers drummed against the door in contemplative thought.

Tonks finally spoke up. "Okay, fine then. I've wasted enough of your ti-"

"Oh, I will teach you, Nymphadora. I'm just trying to come up with proper payment for such training. I normally charge at least two hundred Galleons per session, but I know that neither you nor the werewolf have the means to pay that."

She groaned. "Whatever, you're right. I don't have that kind of money, but if I did, I'd pay it."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because maybe your black heart can't comprehend it, but _maybe_ I do have some sort of feelings for him. And he's not 'the werewolf'. His name is Remus John Lupin."

Snape curled his lip into a smile. "Oh, of course. You forget that I saw his destructive nature first hand, barely able to get the children, which included the great Harry Potter you know, out of the way of his harm."

Tonks hissed in anger and spun around, intending to walk away.

"Next Saturday evening, I expect you in Potions Classroom Number One. You will have to find a proper athame to be able to brew a proper Wolfsbane. And no, you will not borrow mine, and you will not find any in the classroom. Such instruments should already have a bond with its chosen witch or wizard, much like their wands."

Tonks spun back around in disappointment. "But... where am I going to find one in a week? There's no way!"

"That's not my problem, Nymphadora. Either find one, or your lessons will be postponed indefinitely."

She growled to him. "Fine, I'll find one."

"Clearly."

She spun on her heel and walked back down the dungeon hallway. Snape's voice echoed back to her.

"And Nymphadora? Wear your hair down to your shoulders in a neutral color. Auburn, perhaps. I will not tolerate any radical hues during a private lesson."

She huffed as she walked away, then shouted. "It's TONKS!"

She heard Snape's door slam and proceeded back to the Hogwarts Apparition Point, sending herself back to number twelve. There waiting for her, with another gigantic chocolate bar and an even more gigantic grin, was Remus Lupin.

"So... how'd it go?"

"Oh, bloody hell. You got into whatever happy pills Sirius was on last night, didn't you?"

"Nope, just loooove chocolate! Just as much as you!"

He grabbed her by the arm and practically pulled her into the house and passionately kissed her lips. Tonks noted the chocolatey taste before pulling away.

"Um... Remus?"

"Yes, love love love love love?"

"How much... chocolate have you had?"

"Oh, only about seven or eight, maybe eight, yeah probably eight. Eight of Honeyduke's Finest!"

She rolled her eyes and thought – _Well, I guess that's one way to ensure a speedy recovery from a full moon._

Tonks led Remus into the study and pushed him down into a chair. He was sure to crash from all that sugar soon, and now at least he could pass out someplace comfortable. She drew a chair close to him and picked up a random book from the shelf.

"_Jane Eyre?_ Fine, whatever. Calm DOWN, wolfy boy! Jeez, you're going to be the death of me."

_**Postscript: Yes, I thought that Remus Lupin WOULD be one of those guys that would consume enough chocolate until he was bouncing off the walls. He was a Marauder after all. I chose Jane Eyre because meh, I figure it'd be something Tonks would like, but probably wouldn't have the attention span to finish.**_

_**For those of you who don't know, an athame is a ceremonial double edged dagger used in the Wiccan religion. I think that because it's a special potion that needs to have a personal touch, a custom ceremonial dagger would be necessary.**_

_**As always, reviews are helpful and always appreciated. Thanks!**_


	4. Hunting and Gathering

**Author's Note: Phew! My longest chapter yet. But, if you ever wanted to know how to make Wolfsbane Potion, it may be worth a read. XD**

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><p><strong>Hunting and Gathering<strong>

_Number Twelve Grimmauld Place  
>London <em>

The very next Saturday, Tonks awoke with a start. She felt Remus's warm lips softly pressed to her neck. Feeling playful, she turned over as quickly as she could under the covers, causing her to lose her balance and, of course, fall right off the bed. It was at this point that she remembered she forgot to put on her pyjamas last night and gave a quick look under the covers to confirm that her lovely beau was in the very same state of undress.

She gave a yawn and climbed back into bed, pressing her body against him. She rested her head up against his shoulder and placed a soft kiss on one of his scars. His arm moved slowly over her body until it rested around her waist. Tonks bit her lower lip in anticipation, but soon realized that her devious wolf wasn't up for play, but was merely trying to buy a few more minutes before having to wake up.

She groaned and gave her slumbering lover a mighty shake, which finally got him to open his eyes. "Mmmmnotyetfiveorrminnits..."

"Remus, it's..." she glanced over at the clock beside the bed. "It's almost 10:30. It's time we spoke in proper language and got out of bed, lest my dear cousin see us both in the nude."

Remus's eyes snapped open and he nearly flew himself out of bed. Muttering thanks, he quickly made his way to the bathroom.

"Hey wait, no! I was gonna shower fir-" _SLAM! Click._

Tonks would not give up that easily. She marched right to the door and gave the knob an almighty twist. Growling, she put all her force into pulling it open. "Remus John Lupin, open this door!"

"You're a witch, remember, love?"

She groaned and retrieved her wand from the nightstand. "_Alohomora!"_ _Click._

Once again, she pulled at the door, but found it still to be locked. "Don't tell me you're holding the doorknob, or I'll-"

Suddenly, the sound of feet pounding up the wooden staircase nearly stopped her heart. "Remus, I swear to God, let me in! Sirius is coming up to check on us!"

The door didn't budge as the sound of shifting footsteps through the hallways flooded her ears. "Remus, SERIOUSLY!"

The doorknob began to rattle.

"I'm not joking here!"

The door to the bathroom flung open, Remus's arms reaching out and pulling Tonks in with him. The bathroom door slammed shut just as Sirius burst into the room.

"Moony, what's going on up there? You aren't doing unmentionable things to my dear little cousin, are you?"

Sirius was greeted by Remus's off key rendition of "God Save the Queen". With a defeated shrug, he closed the door and retreated back downstairs.

Tonks bit her lower lip and looked up at Remus.

"That was too close!" She punched him on the arm. "I wasn't joking around, you know!"

"Of course I knew you weren't, but I just wanted to see how much you'd panic." Another hard right connected with Remus's arm.

"Well, until you learn more manners and start to treat your loving girlfriend with a little more respect, I'll be at my flat. I've got to get ready for my terribly exciting Potions lesson with Snape. He says I can't even have pink hair! Wants it to be... what'd he say? Auburn!"

"Auburn, eh?" Remus ran a hand through his stubble. "Interesting. Will I see you after your lesson?"

"Depends on if you're going to be an arse to me when I get back."

Remus put a hand to his heart. "My dearest Nymphadora, I promise to be nothing but a respectable gentlem-"

His sentiment was cutoff by a poke to his gut. Tonks strode up to him and stood on her tiptoes so that her lips could be inches from his. Remus leaned downward in anticipation.

"Remus... I told you that you get the special privilege to call me 'Dora' instead of 'Tonks', but so help me, if you call me that bloody name one more time, not only will it be back to 'Tonks' with you, but you may be eating your next few meals out of a straw." She gently placed a kiss on his lips, then exited the bathroom.

"I'm going to have to take a cold shower now, you know!" Remus exclaimed from beyond the door.

"Good!" she shouted back, donning her clothes and apparating back to her flat.

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><p><em>Tonks' Flat<em>

After pushing her way into her flat, which was no small feet due in large part to the growing laundry monster that began encompassing her floor, Tonks spent the afternoon attempting to get her flat into some semblance of order while thinking about the fortunate series of events that transpired over the course of the week.

_After searching both her flat and her parents house for anything that could resemble an athame that could bind with her heart and soul like her wand, Tonks was about ready to give up home. She had tripped her way inside number twelve Grimmauld Place with a frustrated expression on her face._

_She noted the happiness that seemed to wash over Remus's face when she entered, and then brought up her conundrum. Remus rubbed a hand against his chin thoughtfully and proceeded to the study._

"_Why must you go in there?" she asked._

"_I do my best thinking in my favorite chair."_

"_No, not that tattered thing... it doesn't match with anything!"_

"_Nor do I, my darling Dora..."_

_She folded her arms as he sat and thought about a possible solution. She had just simply stood in the doorway of the study, staring at him as he closed his eyes. When he jumped up in realization, she could hardly contain her glee._

"_I think I came across one that seemed to be a Black family heirloom. Of course, using it is contingent on two things. One, the athame has to accept you as a rightful owner, which may mean a tribute is necessary. Secondly, you need to convince the rightful owner to give it to you."_

_The next few moments were a whirlwind of activity. Sirius was willing enough to give away one of his family's possessions to someone he knew would use it well. The tribute was the more difficult part. She winced when she pushed the point of the athame into her index finger. However, her tribute was accepted. The crucial instrument in crafting this potion was secured._

Tonks found herself idly turning the athame over and over in her hand. The blade was made of finest silver, and a quick sharpening spell restored the blade to its former glory. Add a little bit of elbow grease and the blade looked brand new. The handle was made of the same silver, coloured the deepest black and bejeweled with emeralds. The Black family crest was etched into both sides.

Once evening approached, Tonks apparated to just outside of Hogwarts and made the journey to Potions Classroom Number One.

* * *

><p><em>Hogwarts<em>

_Potions Classroom Number One_

Tonks burst into the classroom with a triumphant look on her face. She proudly set the athame down on Snape's desk and then looked up at him, waiting for his customary sneer.

He did not disappoint. "Hmm... I see you've run into a bit of good luck along the way." He examined the dagger carefully and silently cast a few test charms on it, making sure to look at every detail. "This is... passable. And now, your hair, Nymphadora."

Tonks groaned loudly, closing her eyes and forcing her locks to grow out down to her shoulders, taking on a rich auburn colour. Snape curled his upper lip in a pleased smile. "That's much better."

"Okay, great. So what are the ingredients needed? What needs to be done? How do I brew this?"

Snape sighed and shook his head. "Foolish girl! You think that this is just something you can read the instructions to and perfect? This isn't just some first year potion! No, you will learn yourself. You will gather the ingredients, cut them, and concoct the potion correctly. I will make the Wolfsbane potion as I always do, so we shall see if you have what it takes to show a love for the sacred harmony of ingredients, or if you're just as miserable at this as you were trying to get away with your cheek in my classroom."

Tonks nodded, determination running through her veins. "Alright, _Professor... _where do we begin?"

Snape smiled. "The Forbidden Forest."

* * *

><p><em>Hogwarts<em>

_The Forbidden Forest_

A light drizzle fell from the darkening sky, making every step just a little bit more interesting for the Junior Auror. Snape walked just ahead of her, making it perfectly clear that he would not stop if she fell behind.

"What exactly are we looking for out here?"

"Isn't it clear? We're gathering the ingredients!"

"Yes, but why here? Isn't it... forbidden?"

Snape rolled his eyes. "Since when has that ever stopped you before? And I know exactly where we need to be to find the ingredients, though you will be harvesting your own. I shall not retrieve them for you."

"Yeah, yeah. You made that part clear already."

The two trekked through the forest for what seemed like an hour, until Snape held his arm out to stop Tonks from moving any further.

"There. Aconite. If you learned anything from your fourth year of Potions you would tell me that aconite is also known as," Snape questioned her. Obviously, he was looking for any chance to humiliate her on her poor knowledge of potions. However, a couple nights of studying the very subject with Remus helped ready her for just this situation.

"Aconite. Also known as monkshood, or wolfsbane. Duh."

"I see you've convinced your werewolf friend to help you," Snape leered.

_Damn._

She waited patiently as Snape drew in a handful of ten to fifteen aconite stems and cut them clean off at the bottom of the stem. "This is so that they will grow back rather than just wither and die. I've used this group of plants for the past three years."

Tonks nodded and lowered herself to the ground. "How do they grow back so fast?"

"Surely you've seen the werewolf contort his body into the length of the wolf and then back to human again in a matter of moments. The idea is similar, though the most harm these plants can do is poison you if ingested alone."

She bit her lower lip and carefully unsheathed her athame. She gathered a handful of the plant and tried to duplicate Snape's action, cutting from the bottom. She lifted the freshly cut plants to the Potions Master.

"Hmm... it seems you cut quite haphazardly. The cut should be precise and even, but yours is clearly lopsided. No matter, they are passable, but I suggest more precision with our next ingredient."

Tonks rolled her eyes as Snape led her deeper into the forest. He stopped her once more as they came upon two trees whose branches were bent to resemble a low archway.

"_Lumos,"_ muttered the Potions Master. As he held his wand tip to the tree leaves, Tonks saw the black berries clinging to them.

"Twenty-five is the optimum number here. No more, no less. I really do not appreciate waste in my classroom, Nymphadora, so be sure to only pluck twenty-five of the freshest looking berries you can find."

Tonks nodded as Snape began to carefully look over the berries on each leaf. She walked up to the opposite tree and began looking them over. "What are these?"

"Blackcurrant berries," replied Snape in a bored tone.

"Why?"

"Because we need to mash them and add water to form the base. Otherwise, the aconite will be too strong and the werewolf will be dead. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

Tonks nodded, but continued to prod. "But you don't particularly care for Remus! Why care?"

"Because, you silly girl, I am not hell bent on murderous plots against those who wronged me! Furthermore, while I may not care for the so called _Marauders_," he hissed the name, "I have a great love of the intricacies of creating a perfect potion, and I especially love to see my potions achieve their desired effect. Tend to your leaves, and be sure to GENTLY place them in your satchel."

Tonks groaned, having just shoved six berries into the satchel, only to find a mess of squelched berries and juice all over the insides. She looked back up at the tree and began to meticulously count each berry as she _gently _placed it into the bag. Once her and Snape's bags were filled, they moved on, walking into deeper parts of the unknown.

Again, they stopped when the ground underneath them became littered by glowing particles.

"Moonstones!" Tonks exclaimed happily.

"Yes, moonstones. We need to grind the moonstones into powder. The size of the moonstone will determine how much powder we shall obtain. I will monitor your selection."

Tonks, happier to go moonstone digging than plant plucking, began to unearth the stones, bringing back each stone she found to Snape, who merely shook his head in disappointment.

"No, no, no. The moonstone must shine _brightly_ in order for it to be effective!"

Leave it to Severus Snape to turn moonstone digging into misery. After several more failed attempts, she finally retrieved a satisfactory moonstone.

"Yes, that will do. However, if you looked where I had unearthed mine, you would have seen a trove of more acceptable ones."

Tonks pocketed the stone with a huff and walked up to him, sure to push her longer locks into his face. "Fine, but how many more ingredients do we need?"

"Two more, but your incessant whining will only make it longer." Snape sneered at her and began walking away.

The forest seemed to be getting thinner and thinner as they kept on. The smell and light breeze of the coast overtook her senses. She figured she must have passed out on the ground, but sure enough, they came to a clearing, where a sheer cliff separated the forest from the sea below.

"So that's where the lake drains into," Tonks said, mainly to herself.

"Yes, and it's the only place to get scurvy-grass seeds. Enough to fill the small tube."

Tonks pulled out the vial Snape had given her before they set out on this mind-numbing excursion. She knelt at the face of the cliff and scooped the seeds into the tube with utmost care. Once the vial was full, she quickly stoppered it and stepped back.

"A simple _'Accio seeds'_ would have done, but I admire your care to detail."

_Wait. Was that a complement? From Snape? The Potions Master?_

Tonks blinked and looked back to Snape, only to realize that he had already set off back in the direction of the Forest. She ran to catch up, nearly tripping over her shoelaces, but recovered her balance in time to ensure the safety of the blackcurrant berries.

They made their way through the forest, traveling quickly as the darkness set. Tonks could pick up every sound of snapping branch, every squeak that the Forest emitted. Eventually, as the last ray of magenta sunlight faded into darkness, the two made it out of the forest. Snape walked along the forest's edge, and stopped by a row of daisies.

"Stopping to smell the flowers?" Tonks asked sarcastically.

Snape merely lifted the daisies up, slashing the blade of his athame at the roots of the daisies and collecting them in his hand. "Daisy roots. The final ingredient."

Tonks moved over to another row of daisies and uprooted them, swiftly gliding her knife along the roots and setting them into her other pocket.

Snape and Tonks made their way back into the dungeon classroom. She laid out all of her ingredients on the table. Snape placed his ingredients into his private storage and looked over her collection.

"Yes, that should make an adequate Wolfsbane. Next week, we will begin the brewing process. And yes, it will take two weeks, to allow him to start drinking the week before the full moon."

Tonks nodded and muttered her thanks before leaving the dungeon.

* * *

><p><em>Number Twelve Grimmauld Place<em>

_London_

She quickly apparated back to number twelve. Peering around the house, she found Sirius asleep in his room, but Remus out of bed. She descended the stairway and looked in the study, but he wasn't there either. She finally peered into the kitchen, finding the notorious Remus Lupin raiding the ice box for a frozen chocolate bar.

"Don't you know that chocolate gives you nightmares?"

Remus jumped up like a child getting caught with his hand in the tin of biscuits. He turned around sheepishly. "Just... something to take the edge off?"

Tonks smiled and shook her head. "No, no... I think being in bed with your favorite shape-shifting Auror would take the edge off better!"

She smiled and ran up to him, giving him a big hug. Remus smiled as she pulled away, then looked at her hair. "You look like Lily..."

Tonks's eyes went wide as she quickly morphed her hair back to its normal spiky pink. "Better?"

"I like it either way, but I seem to have developed a strange love for all things pink."

"See what a good influence I am?" Tonks giggled and took Remus by the hand, leading him back upstairs and into their bedroom. While she made her way to the bathroom and changed into her pyjamas, Remus Lupin quickly stuffed his face with his delicious chocolate treat, just managing to swallow it down before his lover emerged.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: So yeah, like I said, lots of stuff there. I couldn't bring myself to make you read ALLLL about how the potion is made in one fell swoop, now could I? You'd probably be dozing at your screen. Anyway, I'm thinking that this story will be one of a series I'll write detailing Tonks and Remus's relationship.<strong>

**As always, reviews and feedback keep me going. Thanks!**


	5. Stirring

**Author's Note: Looooots of stirring in this chapter. XD I've decided that yeah, I'll probably do a series of all these. So consider this the first in the series. Hooray.**

* * *

><p><strong>Stirring<strong>

The following week flew by without much stress. Being a Junior Auror meant more paperwork than action, but the weekly eight hours at the Department of Mysteries with Remus Lupin always provided for at least the hope of action, as well as a time to get better acquainted with the man she was slowly but surely falling in love with.

When Saturday afternoon rolled around, Tonks decided to stop by what was becoming her favorite destination, number twelve Grimmauld Place. Half of her belongings from her flat had slowly made the transition into the house, and the idea of adding a little color to the dank interior was something Tonks had wanted to do for a long time.

She was currently on a mission to unpack all of her books onto the shelves in the study. While finding spaces for all of them, she heard a familiar knock on the door.

"So are we going to have enough room for all of these?" Remus Lupin's voice touched her ears in the gentlest of ways. So charming, so delicate.

"Well, I was thinking that a simple elongating spell would do the trick, but I don't read half of these anyway."

"Ah..."

Tonks looked back to Remus, who looked as tired and worn as ever. She stood up and made her way to him, tiptoeing to reach her arms around his neck. She pulled him in for a kiss that he barely returned.

"Remus, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, Tonks. Really..."

"Remus, the last time you kissed me that poorly was the night after the full moon, and I can understand it then. You've still got two weeks, so either the moon phases have gone bonkers or you've started making excuses again."

Remus sighed. "I'm not making excuses. Look, I know that you love me and I love you, and we're- happy. I just can't help but worry."

Tonks moved a hand to his cheek. "Darling, please don't torture yourself like this. You know I'm not going anywhere, no matter what you say, so it's useless to even argue the point."

Remus gave another long sigh and nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"Good." She placed a kiss on his cheek and then looked down at the pocket watch she had received as a gift from Mad-Eye Moody upon the passing of her Auror training. The front was emblazoned with the Ministry of Magic logo and the back had her name carved into it. She clicked it open and looked down at it.

The various dials were pointing every which way. The moon phase dial still affirmed that it was the new moon. The "peril" dial pointed to "constant vigilance", but she'd never seen it change from that setting. Mad-Eye probably charmed it or something. The hour and minute hands showed that it was almost 1700. Tonks's eyes went wide.

"Shite! I have to go! Second lesson starts in a little bit!"

She gave Remus one last hug and ran out the door, looking around to make sure all was safe, and apparated to Hogwarts.

* * *

><p><em>Potions Classroom Number One<em>

_Hogwarts_

"Nearly late, Nymphadora..."

"Yeah, well I was caught up with some paperwork."

Snape rolled his eyes. "And your hair?"

Tonks gave out an audible groan of contempt as it changed back to the long auburn locks the Potions Master demanded. "So Remus told me that this hair made me look like Lily Potter..."

"I suppose there might be a resemblance there," he replied coolly. "Now, you will gather the ingredients we collected last week and set your cauldron at a low simmer."

Tonks nodded and moved her way over to the storage area. She collected the ingredients and brought them over to her workspace, unaware of Snape staring at the back of her head while she gathered. She picked up her cauldron and muttered _"Incendio."_

A small flame emerged underneath the cauldron. Tonks looked up at Snape for the next instruction.

"Firstly, we add the blackcurrant berries. Yes, this needs to be done over heat to allow for partial melting. If you burn yourself on the edge of the cauldron, it is your own fault."

Tonks mimicked Snape's actions as he poured the twenty-five berries from his satchel into the cauldron. As instructed, she began to grind the berries down with the handle of her athame, being sure not to squash any of the berries until the cauldron had melted it down first. Soon enough, a viscous black liquid rested at the bottom of her cauldron.

Snape strode over to examine her work. "Perhaps a bit more grinding. It still looks like there is skin left."

He levitated his cauldron over to Tonks's table, showing off the perfectly smooth substance within. Tonks once again dipped the handle of her dagger into her cauldron, taking extra time to grind the remnants at the bottom.

"Good." Snape waved his wand, sending the simmering cauldrons to an empty workspace. "Now for the aconite. We need both the leaves and the stems. The leaves need to be cut from the stems and chopped, and the stems will need to be cut open, and then chopped into bits that are one centimetre long. Failure to cut the stems open will allow for the poison to seep into the potion, and the werewolf will surely die."

Tonks had committed herself to not talking during this lesson, a difficult feat with all of the snarky comments she had stored away. Instead, she just listened and directed her unhappiness toward the aconite.

"And Nymphadora, be sure to correct your cuts from the Forest. Even the stems off before beginning. There is no excuse for sloppiness."

Tonks emitted a low growl and lined the stems up, switching her athame around to the blade and cutting them at the bottom to make them perfectly even. She then went on to the tedious task of cutting away the leaves, pushing them into a neat pile to the right. She then took care to cut open a stem, watching as a black fog escaped from them.

She opened her mouth to speak, but Snape interrupted. "Don't fear the poison. It isn't harmful in gaseous form."

She nodded and continued on, cutting open each stem and watching the fog escape. She then chopped the stems down into bits of the required length, brushing them into a pile to her left. Once finished, Snape summoned the cauldrons over once more.

"First, the leaves, and then we will add water to the mix."

Tonks followed Snape's actions as he sprinkled the leaves into the berry juice rather than dump the whole lot in at once.

"Now, we will stir. Five stirs clockwise, one stir counterclockwise, and then five more stirs clockwise."

Tonks gave a long, bored sigh.

"If you would like to brew this properly, you will need to follow the instructions perfectly, otherwise, your potion will be useless."

Tonks snapped to attention and dipped her blade into the concoction, doing as instructed. Five clockwise turns, one counterclockwise, and another five clockwise.

"And now, a simple _aguamenti."_

Tonks whispered the spell, the cauldron filling to three-quarters full with boiling water.

"Five more clockwise stirs."

Again, she stirred the potion, noting how the color changed from black to olive green. She looked over to Snape's cauldron, which was doing the same.

"Now for the stems."

Once again, she sprinkled the stems into the potion, watching it take on a color that resembled that of Slytherin House upon interaction.

"Ten clockwise turns, five counterclockwise."

She set to the meticulous task of stirring once more, and then watched as he grabbed the vial of scurvy-grass seeds. She did the same, pouring the seeds into the growing concoction, which now took on a canary yellow.

Once more, she looked over to the Potions Master's cauldron, noting the perfect match.

"Three clockwise, five counterclockwise, ten clockwise."

The stirring was absolute torture. She did as instructed, however, and saw as each cauldron now contained a golden yellow substance.

"And that will be all for this week. The potion will require a week to mature, and then we add the final ingredients, which will then take another week."

Tonks nodded, muttered her thanks, and left, closing the oak door behind her. As soon as she was out the door, she changed her hair back to her favorite pink spikes and stuck her tongue out.

As she walked back to the Hogwarts Apparition Point, she thought to herself that a boring Snape is better than a sarcastic Snape. She then turned on her heel, having an idea for the study at number twelve.

* * *

><p><em>Number Twelve Grimmauld Place<em>

_London_

The door flew open before she could even use the knocker. Sirius Black grabbed her by the hand and led her into the kitchen.

"Sirius, wha-"

"Just read." Sirius thrust a note into her face. He wasn't smiling.

_My Dear Nymphadora,_

_You're right. I do love you, and that's why I feel so compelled to stay away. For your safety. I need to clear my head. Please don't wait for me in bed. I promise to return as soon as I can._

_Love,_

_Remus_

She could feel the color drain from her hair as it grew longer down to her neck. She read the note over and over, sighing and hoping he'd be back soon. The sun had already set, so she couldn't help but wonder where he could be.

Sirius coughed. "Well, you have to admit, Moony is making improvements. At least he's got the courtesy to let you know he'll be back, right?" A forced smile crept to his face.

"I suppose."

After waiting in the kitchen for a couple of hours, making small talk and swapping Hogwarts stories and doing anything to take their minds off of Remus's sullen disappearance, Sirius finally stretched and made his way upstairs.

"Tonks?"

"Yeah?"

"When Moony gets back, give him a punch in the arm for me."

Tonks nodded and sighed, moving from the kitchen to the stairway. She sat down on a stair with a direct view of the front door, waiting for him to come back.

Hours ticked away. She felt herself nodding off. Looking down at her watch, she saw that it was approaching 400. She sighed and gave a long yawn, almost resigning herself to bed, when she heard the click of the locks being undone.

Sure, he'd returned, but he still was the self-sacrificing prat he always was. The worst of thoughts started to run through her mind. _What if he's found some other witch? What if he's just going to break it off now? What if-_

Remus strode through the door and closed it as gently as he could. He looked up to see the mousy-haired Tonks sitting there on the stairs. She looked up at him but didn't say a word.

"Tonks, I-" he began, only to see her look away.

Remus knelt down in front of her, trying to give a faint smile to cheer her up, as if saying that yes, he did come back. Tonks continued to divert her gaze.

Gently he ran his fingers through her hair, then descended his soft but strong hand to her chin, easing it toward him. He moved both his hands to her cheeks and gently kissed her lips. Backing away, he whispered. "I love you."

Tonks could feel the pink color return to her hair instantly as she pushed her lips against his. Hungrily, she took his bottom lip into hers, suckling it gently before breaking away.

She looked up at him. "Don't you ever do that again. I don't care if I have to chain you to the bloody bed... hmm... but that may be too good of an idea to pass up. But you're not just going to go all depressed and leave on me. We're a couple. We work things out. We don't run away."

Remus nodded. "Okay."

"Okay. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm going to bed. I'm completely drained."

Remus nodded and followed, taking Tonks's hand as she led him up the stairs.

"You know, Remus, I had this lovely idea that we could redecorate the study into something more charming."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, a nice pink color!"

"Dora, please, I don't-"

She smiled and just began humming some Muggle tune that Remus couldn't quite place. "We'll talk about it in the morning, love."

A smile crept to her lips as she spun around and punched him in the arm. Twice.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: Told you there'd be a lot of stirring involved. But hey, I'm making all of this up as I go. Hopefully it'll be a hell of a potion. Reviewers shall get a reward of a room redecoration by one Nymphadora Tonks, so get to it!<strong>


	6. Caldey Island

**Author's Note: I figured that since the last chapter was a little bit sad, I'd make it up to you by writing another "date" chapter. While this one isn't as public as their last outing, it definitely holds a lot of sentimental value. Check it out. :)**

* * *

><p><strong>Caldey Island<strong>

_Number Twelve Grimmauld Place_

_London_

Remus woke up the next morning with his sweet nymph in his arms, wondering how he could have been so foolish as to have considered a life without her. While he was firm in his stance about being too old, too poor, and too dangerous, he'd begun to accept that she didn't care. However, it takes a long while for an old wolf to change his ways, so until he could fully accept her love, he'd just have to try his best.

He woke her with a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "Darling, it's time to get up..."

Tonks mumbled something incoherent back. She lifted her arms to prop herself up and then promptly slumped back onto her pillow. Taking this as a personal fight, his fingers gently traced down her arms, gently wrapping around her sides. He took a moment to admire her sleeping form, and then began a vicious tickle attack that sent his Dora shooting nearly toward the ceiling in surprise.

Once her heart rate returned to normal, she cast him a cranky glare. "Remus. Lupin. That's not funny."

"Whatever you say, dear," he grinned mischievously. "But now that I have you up, I was thinking we could do something today."

"And this couldn't wait another hour or two?" she asked.

"Nope. In fact, it's something that we should square away right now, while you're cranky."

She rolled her eyes. Sure, she knew that she was cranky. She always was in the morning. But having it annoyingly pointed out to her was not something she particularly enjoyed. A diabetes-inducing smile crept to her lips.

"Oh, love, of course I've be over_joyed_ to talk to you about it." With that, she pulled him into a hug, pushing her cheeks against his.

As he withdrew, Remus noted the damp feeling on his cheek. He groaned and took her pillow, wiping his cheek off against it. "Fine. Coffee?"

Tonks smiled and hopped out of bed, her white camisole and rubber duck pyjama pants nearly burning his retinas in his recently-awoken state. The two clambered down the stairs and made their way into the kitchen, to find Sirius humming to himself while munching on a piece of toast.

"A-ha! If it isn't the happy couple. I am absolutely _enthralled_ that my best mate and dearest cousin are dating, but next time, would you please keep the sex noises to a minimum? You were going at it so loud that I couldn't concentrate on my... err... reading."

Tonks and Remus exchanged quizzical looks. Remus was first to speak up, "Padfoot, that wasn't us. We figured it was you inviting Emmaline over for a... erm... late night snack?"

Sirius barked in laughter. "HA! Well, I guess the Most Noble House of Black has taken to getting it on with itself then!"

Once again, the couple looked back at one another before looking back at Sirius. This time, Tonks spoke up. "Umm... Sirius? You're not loaded already, are you?"

Sirius laughed again. "Oh no, dear cousin! It's just that _today_ I will be having a visitor that just happens to be Emmaline Vance. I hate to trouble both of you, but can I have the house for a few hours?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "It's your house, Pads. I'm sure Dora and I can think of a place to-"

"Dora, is it? What's with the name change, Tonksie? You must really fancy ol' Moony here if you want him to call you Dora. That's usually reserved for the people you hold closest to your heart!"

Tonks blushed.

"I mean, maybe _I_ should start calling you Dora. What do you think, Doooooooooooooooooora?"

Sirius's musing was cut off by a bar of Honeyduke's Finest slamming him in the face. He rubbed his nose with a mock scowl, then pocketed the chocolate bar. "I think I'll take this as reward, and I'll be getting _you_ some coffee, Doooora!"

Tonks slumped into one of the kitchen chairs with a "hmph", Remus joining her. Sirius flicked his wand and sent a steaming mug of coffee toward Tonks. Another flick slid a cup of Earl Grey tea toward Remus, while a sugar bowl and cream appeared from seemingly nowhere.

Remus watched intently as Tonks added a small amount of cream, and then removed the spoon from the sugar bowl, opting to pour directly from the bowl into her mug. After judging a proper amount of sugar to jump-start and elephant, Tonks stirred her coffee and took a deep sip.

"Ahh... much better."

Remus chuckled as he added a small spoonful of sugar to his tea and sipped it pleasantly. Sirius grinned as he watched the two polar opposites consume their drinks of choice. Despite their odd quirks, they somehow fit with one another, and he was happy to see it.

Remus reached for the Daily Prophet lying on the table, but was beaten in a flash by Tonks. She gave a small growl, which forced Remus to back off. Tonks thumbed through the Prophet silently for a brief amount of time, plucking a page and pulling it out for herself, then sloppily handed the rest of the paper back to Remus.

Remus mumbled and went to sorting the paper back into its proper order. Tonks spread her page out and looked down thoughtfully at it.

"Remus, what's a nine letter word for a water demon with sharp horns and teeth?"

He chuckled and sipped his tea. "Grindylow."

Tonks nodded in affirmation and scrawled the entry onto the page in her elegant handwriting. The two continued to sip their drinks, Tonks asking for a crossword answer every now and then, until Sirius flew from his seat.

"You two make me sick! You're so... normal! Remus, you're a werewolf! Where's the beastly libido in that? Tonks! You're a descendant of the Black Family! Why aren't you jumping Moony's bones already?"

Tonks looked up at him, her eyes wide in shock. "Well, dear cousin, us women of the Black family can be quite good at hiding our desires most of the time. It seems to be the Black men that think with nothing but their crotches, which leads most of them to trouble. And as for Remus, I know all about the beastly libido, especially the night before the full moon, but would you really want to hear about your 'wee little Tonksie' being sexually involved with your best friend?"

Sirius shrugged. "Just happy Moony is getting laid, is all. If Emmaline was over here, we probably wouldn't make it out of the kitch-"

"_Aguamenti."_

Sirius was suddenly doused by a jet of ice cold water.

Remus looked up from the Prophet and put away his wand. "Now Padfoot, I believe it's time to set some ground rules for your little tryst with Miss Vance. Firstly, there will be no interaction in the kitchen, especially on the table, because we all eat there. Secondly, you will make sure you use a contraceptive charm. Lord knows we can't have a little Sirius Black running around. And finally, once Dora and I return after this escapade, I do _not_ want to hear every little detail of the afternoon."

"But Moony..."

"Understood?" Remus gave his best glare.

"Fine," Sirius sulked. He hung his head dejectedly as he shuffled his way out of the kitchen.

Tonks looked up at her beau once Sirius exited. "So... I guess we need to find something to do for a day. And don't you dare think that I'm over this whole 'wandering the streets of London because I'm a depressed werewolf' is done. I'm still not happy about that. You had me worried sick."

Remus nodded. "Well that's just the thing. As I was walking back last night, I had the idea to show you someplace very near and dear to my heart today, but now that Sirius has, as you put it, 'thought with his crotch', it gives us a perfect excuse to go.

The two finished their breakfast, showered and dressed, then made their way out into a lovely Sunday. Remus gently took Dora's hand and held her close. "Ready?"

Tonks nodded and felt the familiar sensation of apparition.

* * *

><p><em>Caldey Island<em>

The two soared through the tight tunnel until finally winding up in a shore town she couldn't quite place. Biting her lower lip, she looked around, seeing a simple inn and tavern, a grocer, and rows of cottages.

"This is the Caldey Island in Pembrokeshire. It's home to monks and a small batch of wizards, who, believe it or not, peacefully coexist. They respect our ways, and we respect theirs, so there's never been much conflict between us."

"You mean, they know?"

"Well, these aren't your average Muggles, Dora. They are highly astute and hold a devotion to their God that is commendable. They see us use magic, but here, magic and religion are one in the same. They tell us that we have God's blessing, and we don't argue the point."

Tonks nodded as Remus strolled down the rows of cottages, until the two made it to the enormous white lighthouse near the coast. The smell of the fresh sea air lingered in her nose as Remus led her into one of the two storey cottages adjacent to the lighthouse, and tapped his wand gently against the front door.

The door eased open. Remus took Tonks by the hand and guided her carefully up the front step and into his home.

"I know it's not much, but I was thinking... when the war ended, and... that is, if you could bear being with a werewolf for the rest of eternity, and you know..."

"Remus, this place is _lovely!_" Tonks smiled brightly as she made her way into the living room, noticing the Muggle television set and the plush couches. Everything was colored so vibrantly and so lovingly, in stark contrast to the muted tones of number twelve.

Remus took a few steps from the living room and into the kitchen, featuring an array of Muggle cooking instruments.

"Remus, I had no idea that you were a half-blood! My dad was Muggle born, but it seems like... sorry, I'm being rude."

"Not at all. You're right. I am. My mother was actually the niece of one of the monks that practiced at the monastery here. When she came to visit, she met a strapping young wizard by the name of John Lupin, and they fell in love. They were married and took residence here, where my father worked as the lighthouse manager."

Tonks nodded, ecstatic to finally hear about the rich Lupin family history Remus had always let on about.

A smile crept to his lips as he remembered his parents. "You see, all the Muggles passing through believed the lighthouse to be one of the most distinctive. Travelers could tell the difference between the between the Bristol Channel here and the English Channel just by this very lighthouse. Of course, it was all thanks to Father's magic. He enchanted the light, making it an eternal flame. My mother, she was a happy homemaker, but was not blessed to have another child after I was born."

Tonks shifted in the couch that she had claimed during his story and bit her lip nervously. Remus looked down at her and gave a sigh.

"Fenrir Greybeck came to Caldey Island in order to slay the monks and sisters in the monastery. He thought it would be a great prize to 'disarm them of their faith and send them to meet their God'. At least, that's what Father told me. He stood up to Greybeck and warded him off, using some brute force but mostly his cunning to outsmart Greybeck and lead him into a trap. We had all believed the Greybeck had left Caldey Island, but one night as I was gazing up at the stars... it happened."

Tears were now pricking at Tonks's eyes. Her lip quivered slightly. "Oh, Remus – you were just a boy!"

He nodded. "At four years old, my life changed forever. Mother and Father never stopped loving me though. They didn't see me as a monster, but knew of the prejudices I was sure to face off our island. Father built a safe room inside the lighthouse where I would stay on the full moons. He would always check on me, risking his life in the process, but it was my parents' love that helped me through those early years without Wolfsbane. I was first schooled at the Agnus Dei Catholic School for Boys across the channel in Tenby. I was shocked as ever when I received the letter from Hogwarts, sent by Dumbledore himself! My parents were just as excited as I was. But then, in my seventh year, Mother took ill. She passed away that December. She was a rock for my father, and he wasn't the same without her. He passed only a few months later."

Tonks got up from her couch and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "So, this is now my home. I've stayed here with the exception of when I was a member of the Hogwarts staff. Nobody judges me on this small little island, so I'm able to live a relatively normal life. I tend to the lighthouse to make sure that everything is in working order, but it's the cottage here that needs the most work. I've transformed the master bedroom into a study, where I can reflect on my parents if I desire, but get lost in a book when I choose as well. My old bedroom has been remade into the new master bedroom, so if you'd like to have a look..."

Tonks nodded and moved her hand to his, holding it tightly. They walked past a cozy dining room and a guest bedroom, and then walked up the stairway. Unlike the creaky wooden stairs of number twelve, these stairs felt... warmer, if there was such a way. The hallway showed off a separate bathroom, the study, and the new master bedroom. Remus showed her in, where a bed and rocking chair sat, along with a dresser. A connecting door led to a private bathroom. The large room was predominantly a sky blue color with hints of navy.

"I re-did the colors. When I was a lad, Father painted them Gryffindor scarlet and gold. I still loved the colors, but I decided that I wanted to let the brightness show a little more than the darker hue of the scarlet."

Tonks grinned and closed her eyes, changing her hair to duplicate the sky blue color of the room. She walked over to the dresser and looked in the mirror. "Cute! Not something I'd wear every day, but definitely cute!"

Remus smiled. "If you believe this to be suitable, I was thinking that we could spend the night here? I'd gladly cook for you, we could check the telly, and we could go to the top of the lighthouse at sunset."

Tonks smiled from ear to ear as a single tear streamed down her cheek. "Remus, this is beautiful. I'd love to stay."

Smiling back, he scooped her into his arms and hugged her tight. He wished that time could fast forward and the war could end while they held each other in his cottage. They eased away and descended the staircase, where they both found a comfortable spot on the couch and settled in for some much needed downtime.

When the time came, Remus looked around the kitchen and found the proper ingredients for a dinner of chicken Alfredo with spaghetti. He prepared the meal without the use of a wand, a feature that Tonks noticed and admired. Humming to himself as he worked, the meal was ready in no time. They happily ate their meal with a light-bodied Pinot Grigio and shared a dessert of another Honeyduke's chocolate.

"How do you get so much chocolate?" Tonks looked down at the large bar before them.

"The current owner, Gregory Trumbull and I, went to Hogwarts at the same time. I helped him pass his Transfiguration NEWT and he hasn't forgotten the favor after all these years."

Tonks laughed. "I hope that I'll get to have connections like that someday!"

The two enjoyed their chocolatey dessert. Remus flicked his wand, sending the dishes into the Muggle dishwasher and helped his lovely nymph from the table. "Would you like to see the stars?"

Tonks nodded eagerly. The walk up to the top of the lighthouse wasn't as arduous as Tonks had thought. Sure she stumbled over the ground a couple of times, but the spiral staircase was enchanted so that anyone who stepped on the staircase would be transported to the top as if it were an escalator.

Remus stepped onto the landing first, helping Tonks over to a spot toward the side of the staircase. Resting along the railing was a telescope. Tonks moved over to it and gazed into the lens. Though she was never great at Astronomy during her Hogwarts years, she was still able to place a few constellations. Remus merely rested his hands around her waist as she gazed up at the stars. She seemed so happy in that moment. Remus gazed at his surroundings. In the distance down below, only a few of the lights were on in the monastery. A gentle breeze glided across the grass. He looked up at the sky and saw his greatest adversary in its slivered phase. For the first time since he was bitten, he smiled at the sight. The full moon was sure to come sooner or later, but in that moment, it didn't matter. As long as he had his nymph, all would be okay.

"Remus?"

"Hmm?"

Tonks stepped away from the telescope. "It's really beautiful up here."

He nodded. "My favorite place as a boy."

"I can see why."

The couple made their way down the staircase of the lighthouse and back into his cottage. Tonks borrowed one of Remus's larger t-shirts and settled into bed alongside him.

She cuddled close and whispered in his ear. "Thank you... for today, for everything."

"No, thank you."

She smiled and cuddled closer into him, slowly falling into her dreams. It didn't matter if she was awake or asleep these days- Remus Lupin was constantly on her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: Caldey Island is indeed a real island in Pembrokeshire, which is in Wales. The island is truly home to a monastery of Cistercian monks and a lighthouse that illuminates the Bristol Channel. From the photos, it's a gorgeous place. As always, looking forward to reviews!<strong>


	7. Raving Madness

**Author's Note: So after the lovely evening at Caldey Island, Tonks decided that she wanted to have a little bit of fun in public with her boyfriend. While she knows it's not something up Remus's alley, she figures that he could at least be able to have some fun with it. Wait and see!**

* * *

><p><strong>Raving Madness<strong>

Remus looked out at the dark, crowded hall before him. Neon lights and strobes flickered on and off while hard, thumping music exploded against his eardrums. What the hell was he doing here, anyway? Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit and tie that Tonks was kind enough to spend her Muggle money on, he reclined back on one of the chairs, looking across the bar to his glittery tormentor.

"_You know, Professor... this was quite romantic, but I think I might still be a little miffed at you," she said after their excursion to Caldey Island. _

"_Dora, please! I wanted to show you-"_

_She pressed a finger against his lips and smiled. "Don't worry. I know that this place is special to you. I'd love for you to see my house, but mum and dad are away on holiday for the next few weeks, and I don't think they'd appreciate us taking the grand tour without them."_

_He nodded and tried to back away, but her finger was held firmly in place._

"_Now, I was thinking that we could have a little bit of Tonks fun. I know this great Muggle spot that you might like if you give it a chance. I want to get you some nice clothes and I want you to come with me._

_He nodded obligingly, figuring that it would be a romantic and formal night out, but when he had arrived at her door this evening, she was not dressed at all formally. He had a bad feeling as they apparated to the night club, and he felt even more uneasy to see that he may have been the oldest person there._

"_Just remember our plan, darling," she whispered in his ear and then gave him a soft kiss on the cheek._

And that's where he found himself. The shy, self-conscious professor, doomed to a fate worse than death with this music. He stole another glance over to her a smiled coolly. Well, she wanted some fun, so hopefully this was fun enough. Confidently striding over to her, he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, miss. I couldn't help but notice you sitting all alone. Can I buy you a drink?"

The neon green haired woman smiled at him. He did his best not to look down at her clothing, a tight black and pink corset showing off her beautiful proportions, while the straps of a lime green bra rested against her shoulders. Her ripped jeans and combat boots only added to the punk rock image she threw out to the Muggle world.

"A drink would be lovely, but I have had quite a bit of attention today. What makes you think that you'd be any better at sweeping me off my feet than any of these other blokes?"

Remus chuckled. "Well, it just so happens that those other blokes don't know the difference between a woman and a piece of meat. I was thinking that rather than drooling over your body, we could do something that would interest the both of us. Perhaps a drink and dancing."

"Hmm... sounds like you're just a patient man trying to get me into the sack."

"Oh, I think not." He pulled out his wand and sent his Patronus, a wolf cub, clambering across the bar. It pounced playfully on the glasses of drinks. Though doing them no harm, it sniffed at them, wondering why they didn't topple. It then spotted the green haired woman and nuzzled up to her. Tonks took in the scent of Caldey Island as it licked her face, then disappeared.

"Oh, you're good."

Remus tapped his fingers on the bar and ordered two whiskeys. The barman happily obliged the help the man. While he'd seen many things in his years as a barman here, he just chalked it up to hallucinations thanks to the music and lights.

The two clanged their glasses together and downed the burning liquid. Remus gave a confident smile and held his hand out to her. "Shall we?"

Tonks slipped her hand into his, her green fingernails sparkling as they walked across the dance floor. Remus instantly became nervous. He was a very good dancer. In fact, he was quite confident in his abilities, but what he saw on the dance floor wasn't _dancing... _it looked more like the beginnings of a mating ritual.

Tonks quickly eased all fears, pressing her body close to him and raising her arms up. She closed her eyes and pressed her head against his chest, taking in his scent and giving a low moan.

"It's okay. Everyone is too lost in their own sensations to care about how we dance." She gently wrung his black tie.

Remus kissed her forehead discreetly and nodded. Tonks gently flicked her wand as she began to grind her hips, sending two glow sticks, one red and one purple, toward them. She grinned impishly as she wrapped the red one around his neck and then took the tip of the purple one in her teeth.

"See... don't think... just let the wolf come out to play."

Rather than fight back, Remus wrapped his arms around her waist, clutching her closer to him. Tonks gave another moan, sucking seductively on the glow stick and running her fingers through her hair. She spun around, leaning against him and gripping his strong back.

Remus could no longer control the burning desire inside him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and growled into her ear.

"Well, love... if you think you can handle it, I think that the wolf would like to do more than just play..."

Tonks moaned as he gripped her hips toward him roughly. This was going to be a long night indeed.

* * *

><p><em>Number Twelve Grimmauld Place<em>

_London_

Sirius Black had JUST settled to bed after getting to know Emmaline all over again for the third time in a two-day span when the laughing of his best mate and little cousin filled the hallways. The two obnoxiously banged themselves into the wall, nearly setting off the portrait of his dear old mum, until they made it into Remus's room. Groaning, he thrust a pillow over his head.

As the two slipped onto the bed, Tonks changed her hair from the vibrant green color into a more subdued pink that was a bit easier on the eyes. Remus grinned happily and loosened his tie. While it certainly wasn't the date he would have chosen, he figured it could have gone a lot worse.

He knew that the next day would bring everything back to reality. Tonks would have to leave for work at an ungodly hour, Sirius would proclaim his sexual superiority, and Remus would need to tend to the daily essentials, like making sure number twelve had food. Yes, the real world would come with the rising sun, but for now, he was content to admire his gorgeous nymph, who was now slowly undoing all of her changes and becoming the woman he loved. As she slid into bed next to him, he smiled.

"There you are... I was looking for you all night!"

She rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm. Yes, all was back to normal.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: So there it is. I didn't want to get too blatant, but after drinks and some very intimate dancing, you can leave it up to your imagination as to what may have transpired. This is just another filler chapter, and the Wolfsbane Potion will be ready for its second phase in the next chapter.<strong>

** I just wanted to provide you with a sense of why she wants to do this for Remus. Not only is he close enough to her to share all of his memories and his childhood home, but he is also willing to entertain her wild side, which is a combination she'd never found before. Hope you enjoyed!**


	8. A Challenging Brew

**Author's Note: I figured that now would be a good time to get things back on track and start back with the brewing of the Wolfsbane Potion. Snape is just as grumpy as ever, but what else can we expect from him? Hopefully Tonks can survive!**

* * *

><p><strong>A Challenging Brew<strong>

That Saturday found Tonks, once with long auburn hair, huddled over her cauldron of pre-Wolfsbane. Severus Snape was as sarcastic and ill-tempered as ever, being sure to let her know how even the slightest discolouration could result in catastrophe. Once again, Tonks used the tactic of silence. She wouldn't let herself slip up.

As she resumed the rigorous stirring of the liquid, she thought about the entertainment presented at number twelve earlier in the day.

_Sirius's good mood had continued into the coming week. The more time Remus and Tonks spent at Caldey Island meant the more time Sirius could spend at the whim of Emmaline Vance. Though he broke his promise to Remus and blurted out every horrifying detail of his experiences with Emmaline seemingly right after it happened, the subject was still one that he wished to pursue at all hours of the day._

"_So then she turned around in the tub and said to me, 'so... would Snuffles like to get all soapy wet?' and I was so happy that I barked and wagged my bum like there was no tomorrow!"_

_Tonks couldn't remember how hard or how many times she punched his arm, but there was still a lingering pain in one of her knuckles. "That. Is. Bloody. DISGUSTING!" She accentuated each word with a smack._

_Sirius's annoying smile only got wider, "Oh Dooooooooora, I never realized that Moony made you into such a prude! Next thing you know, you'll both become hermits upstairs in that study!"_

_Tonks's eyes went wide. Sure there was the joking, but this time, her dear cousin had gone too far. She sweetly approached him and wrapped her arm around his shoulders._

"_Now now, Sirius. I don't think that Remus and I will become hermits. You see, I quite like the idea of getting out of the house and grinding his gears in public. He seemed quite fond of it too... _Accio pillow!"

_A pillow came zooming from one of the bedrooms and into Tonks's hand. She quickly and relentlessly beat Sirius across the head._

"_It's back to Tonks for you, you pervert!"_

_Another bash to the face with the pillow sent Sirius cowering. "Okay, okay! Have it your way, TONKSIE. But always know that no matter what, the devilishly handsome Sirius Black will always find a way to tell his wanting public about his sexual prowess!"_

_Tonks sent the pillow zooming toward Sirius once more, this time lodging it in his mouth. She nodded in satisfaction as Remus entered the room, the book _Fahrenheit 451_ tucked in the crook of his arm. He looked over at Sirius, desperately trying to dislodge the pillow, and then back to her. She was so pleased to see him simply shrug and pour himself a cup of tea before kissing her lightly on the cheek and returning to the study._

"Nymphadora!"

Tonks was snapped out of her reverie by Snape's hissing.

"I told you to be cautious of your stirring!" Snape strode over to her cauldron. After a close examination to ensure that her solution matched his in color and viscosity, he sneered at her. "Daydreams and fantasies are a wonderful way to pass the time, but if they are so important to you, you can leave my dungeon and pay me the six hundred Galleons that I would normally charge to more deserving students than you."

Tonks sighed and resumed the careful, calculated stirs. Snape levitated his cauldron next to her and resumed his stirring, being sure to monitor her every move now to make sure that she didn't slip up.

"I cannot begin to comprehend what you could possibly see in Remus Lupin, but if you care about him so much, you'll want to listen to these instructions, lest he be writhing on the floor in agony before a painful death."

She bit down hard on her lower lip as Snape recited the instructions. "As you can see, the Wolfsbane potion is reaching maturity, but there is one more change it must make before it is brewed. For someone more talented in the art of potion making, they may feel a thrill to see their work come to fruition in a successful potion. We will now add the daisy roots. Chop them into fine bits and then add them to the potion. You may put them all in at the same time."

Tonks used this as an opportunity to show her frustration. She gripped her athame tightly as she began to chop the roots, nearly leaving scratches on the table. Once the roots were chopped into fine pieces, she dumped them into her cauldron, noticing how the golden liquid became slightly clearer in the cauldron, the color dissolving into a silvery yellow.

Snape looked on, incredibly pleased at the sight in her cauldron. She looked up at the Potions Master and caught a rare smile escape his lips. However, once he looked back at her, the smile was replaced by a grimace. "Yes, that is certainly a passable Wolfsbane thus far, Nymphadora."

She grinned triumphantly and pumped her fist once. Snape caught this and growled.

"Do not get ahead of yourself with the congratulations. There is still one last crucial step to go," He pulled out his moonstone and then retrieved two mortars and pestles from his cabinet. "The moonstone will need to be ground into a fine powder. We will measure it so that one hundred micrograms of moonstone powder will go into the potion. That will allow it to take on a complete silver color and cause the potion to give off smoke."

She nodded and followed Snape as he began to crush the moonstone with his pestle. She followed suit, setting her moonstone into the mortar and grinding it until a fine powder emerged. She poured the powder out onto the workspace. She scooped the powder into a vial and moved over to the scales, adding only a slight amount of powder until it weighed out at one hundred micrograms.

Snape did the same, then sprinkled the moonstone powder into his cauldron. The concoction quickly took on a silvery gray colour, wisps of smoke flipping from the surface.

"It seems that now is the moment of truth, Nymphadora," he curled his upper lip, half expecting her to fail.

Tonks hunched over her cauldron nervously as she added the moonstone powder. For a moment, it did nothing. Then, as she was just about to give up hope, the colour slowly made its way to a matching silvery gray. A soft plume of smoke rose from her cauldron. She looked up to Snape, who could no longer contain his smile.

"Yes, that looks to be a proper Wolfsbane indeed. Though you certainly did things your own way, which can result in trouble, I believe that you could possibly duplicate this and make a passable Wolfsbane Potion from now on."

He pushed a piece of parchment into her hand. "You will find the ingredients and instructions here. Remember to follow this exactly, and you will be able to brew one just like this all the time. And, if you are able to hold your tongue, I will consider allowing you to use ingredients from my storage."

Tonks grinned from ear to ear, her hair automatically changing back to her favorite pink spikes. Snape rolled his eyes, trying not to show any emotion as the only semblance of his Lily faded into an obnoxious pink mess.

As Tonks made a victory lap around Potions Classroom Number One, she stopped and walked confidently up to the Potions Master and wrapped him into a hug. The sentiment clearly took him by surprise, his eyes going wide.

"Thank you so much, Professor. I promise that I'll follow the instructions as they say. You've been such a great help!"

Snape groaned and patted her once on the back. "It was... nothing at all," he said as he pushed the Metamorphmagus away.

Tonks giggled and drained her cauldron into a large bottle, stoppering it and securing it safely inside her satchel. She suddenly snapped her fingers in remembrance. "Wait, didn't you say it would take another week?"

Snape gave his customary sneer. "And break the wonderful silence? Oh, I think not. There is nothing more beautiful than the sounds of a potion coming to life, and I believe I am correct in saying that had you known tonight would be the last lesson, you would not have shut your mouth long enough to properly brew it."

This time it was Tonks's turn to roll her eyes. "Yeah, whatever."

Snape began cleaning up the residue from the cauldrons when a thought struck him. "Ah yes, one more thing. I'm sure it will be brought up at tomorrow night's meeting, but we will need to come up with a way to lure the Potter boy's aunt and uncle from the house so that he can be taken to headquarters. While I may help a poor Potions student, you at least had some inkling of respect for the material. Him? I'm not inclined to help him more than necessary."

Tonks nodded and sighed. "A diversion, hmm? I'll sleep on it."

Snape waved his hand dismissively. Tonks secured her satchel around her shoulder. "Thanks again."

The sound of silence met her ears as she opened the big oak door. As she turned to leave, she changed her hair to the long auburn locks once more. As she walked down the dungeon hallway and back up to the surface, she didn't need to look back to know that the Potions Master was watching.

_Number Twelve Grimmauld Place_

_London_

As Tonks walked into the dreary, mildewy home, she was overcome by the sounds of voices. She could hear the stern, motherly voice of Molly Weasley commanding her children to eat with their mouths closed, while the distinct laugh coming from Sirius nearly drowned everything out.

She (literally) slipped into the kitchen, catching herself and waving to the Weasley family gathered around the table. "Wotcher, everyone!"

Those gathered around the table merely waved in greeting, their mouths stuffed full with stew. Tonks smiled and sat down in the chair next to Remus. _Little things to show love_, she thought as settled in, a bowl of stew already set down in front of her.

"Thanks, Molly!"

"Any time, Tonks dear. You know, you really should wear your hair like that more often. It's quite striking," she said with a maternal smile.

"Oh, right. That." Tonks kicked herself for not remembering and closed her eyes, sending the hair color back to pink, but keeping the length. Molly gave a small chuckle and finally sat down to join the rest of her family.

As Tonks tucked into her stew in a very unladylike manner, Remus grinned and rested his hand against her thigh. Everyone ate in relative silence, until the large bowl of stew was emptied.

After dessert, all of the Weasleys but Arthur climbed the rickety stairs and into their beds. Tonks merely listened intently as the Weasley patriarch conversed with Remus about Muggle automobiles and how they were able to get the horses inside the engines. Soon enough, he retreated to bed. Sirius, whom everyone thought was merely acting to be asleep due to the 'boring' conversation, had actually passed out and was now drooling on the kitchen table.

"Care to give me a hand?" Remus asked as he drew his wand.

Tonks nodded and pulled out hers.

"_Wingardium leviosa!" _they said at the same time, lifting a snoring Sirius from the table and up the stairway. Remus led the way and opened his bedroom door, safely depositing the Marauder into his bed. They broke the charm and then opted to retreat to Remus's... well, _their_ bedroom.

After getting ready for bed, Tonks settled in beside Remus. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and looked up at him.

"Snape said that I brewed a 'proper Wolfsbane'! I think that's the highest compliment I could get!"

Remus smiled and wrapped his Dora into a hug. "Yes, I should say so!"

"So this means that I've got a full supply for you during the next full moon!"

Remus gave a half-smile. While he definitely wasn't looking forward to his transformation, he was very happy that the potion would be made by someone who would brew it with loving care. Only Tonks knew that she wasn't the only one who could do that.

"Oh, and I'm not sure when it's going to be happening, but Snape said something about needing to distract Harry's aunt and uncle so that we could get him out of the house and back here. Do you have any ideas?"

Remus hummed thoughtfully and rubbed his hand over his stubble as he always did when deep in thought. "Well, let me sleep on it." He grinned and kissed her, then turned out his light.

Tonks rolled to her side and did the same. She would need to think over the idea, but before they could bring Harry to Grimmauld Place, Remus would need to endure another full moon, but this time, she'd be able to help him herself.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: I think that's about all I have for this one. I'll be writing an epilogue (the full moon) very shortly, and then it's time to kiss this story goodbye. Don't worry, though! Our favorite couple will be back before you know it. As they hinted (along with Snape), Harry needs rescuing from the Dursleys! <strong>

**So stay tuned for "Werewolfmagus Delivery Service", coming soon to a fan fiction near you... once I finish the epilogue!**


	9. Epilogue: The Potions Mistress

**Author's Note: This is it, the epilogue. As I mentioned in the postscript to my previous chapter, we'll be continuing the adventures in a new story, which I'll probably start writing tonight or tomorrow. I hope you enjoyed, and now you can get a feel for the timeline. Who says that Remus and Tonks didn't date during GoF? Not like they'd tell anyone either way.**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue: The Potions Mistress<strong>

_Number Twelve Grimmauld Place_

_London_

Time was dwindling down. The sun was setting, preparing to give way to a full moon. Tonks and Remus said their separate goodbyes to the Weasleys, Hermione Granger, and of course, Sirius, who begged for a chance to escape the confines of number twelve and have some fun.

Once they both were outside, Tonks gently grasped Remus's arm. He turned on his heel and sent them both apparating far away from London.

* * *

><p><em>Lighthouse<em>

_Caldey Island_

Remus disrobed, still feeling a bit embarrassed at being completely nude in front of her. He slightly blushed as he wrenched open the door to the cage his father had built for him as a child.

"Remember, if I'm not of sound mind, I want you to spend the night at Grimmauld Place. I will ask Sirius tomorrow, so please."

Tonks rolled her eyes and nodded. "You know, I think you need to give your Potions Mistress a bit more credit than that!"

Tonks playfully tapped his nose as he stepped into the cage, closing the iron barred door. Tonks cast every protective spell she could, but deep down, she knew that her Wolfsbane worked, otherwise, Snape wouldn't have allowed it. Right?

Remus pulled out a vial and lifted it in a salute to Tonks. He drank his last dose of the potion, making a disgusted face. "As I said, it definitely has the same taste." Tonks grinned and tossed him a square of a Honeyduke's chocolate bar.

"See? Wolfsbane and chocolate. You'd better do a lot of exercising in that wolf form of yours, or your cholesterol will be through the roof!"

Remus grinned and quickly consumed it, then closed his eyes. Yes, the moon was sure to come up at any second, but this time he was not afraid. Much like his childhood, when he sat in this cage with his father watching over him closely, he felt protected.

The moonlight spilled over the small windows at the base of the Caldey Lighthouse. Remus felt the familiar twinges of pain as his transformation overtook him. He groaned and screamed as bones lengthened. His face distorted into a long snout while fur covered his body. The entire process took only a couple of minutes to complete, but to Tonks, it seemed to take an eternity. She had never seen him transform before, and while unafraid, it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.

The wolf looked over at her. His yellow eyes glowed in the moonlight as he growled at the Metamorphmagus. Tonks didn't back down. She had made that potion to Marcus Belby's precise specifications!

She approached the cage, and the growling only became louder. Shaking her head, Tonks refused to believe that she failed. Just as she was about to give up and turn back for Grimmauld Place, she heard a playful bark. Looking behind her, the werewolf was wagging his tail, nuzzling the ground.

"You. Insufferable. Git."

Tonks turned around and broke the charms surrounding the cage. She let the wolf out, and he immediately pressed his head against her hand. She looked down at Remus and gave him a quick swat on the snout.

"That's because you don't have an arm to punch at the moment."

The wolf looked up at her with puppy eyes, knowing its misdeed. Tonks huffed and pushed a lock of pink hair from her eyes. She reached her hand down and gently scratched behind his ears, just how he liked. The time for payback would be very soon, she thought.

Tonks gracefully led the wolf from the lighthouse to the cosy cottage next door. The wolf scampered in and rushed up the stairs. Tonks nearly tripped on the landing to the stairwell, but dashed up after him. She walked into the master bedroom, seeing Remus splayed out across the mattress.

"Oh, no you don't. If I'm going to be here, you need to be a good host and shove over!"

The wolf grumbled and moved to one side, allowing Tonks to lay down. After getting settled, she gently stroked his coat.

"So... the meeting is tomorrow and Dumbledore still needs something to get the Muggles out of Harry's house. I don't think we're going to go with Dung's idea of kidnapping the lot. We can't exactly barge in there. Arthur still has the mental scarring to attest to that one. The worst part is that it's only in three days! You'd think Dumbledore could give us advance notice or something."

Remus gave a low growl.

"I know, I know. Dumbledore does everything for a reason. Jeez, if you weren't with me, I would have thought the half-moon glasses and long white beard was one of your turn-ons!"

Tonks closed her eyes, allowing her face to take on the silvery white mane of Albus Dumbledore, complete with his trademark flowing beard. She donned a pair of spectacles and looked down at him, adjusting her voice to that of the headmaster.

"Ah, Remus, I have reasons for everything. But there are more pressing matters at hand. It seems that we both like going to raver parties. Perhaps we can convince Professor McGonagall to join us for a night of drinking, dancing, and rough, kinky sex."

The wolf yelped and did his best to cover his ears and eyes with his paws. Tonks giggles and shook away the morph, returning to her familiar pink-haired self. He opened an eye tentatively, then removed his paws, relieved that his Potions Mistress was back.

Tonks cuddled against the covers, wrapping an arm around her wolfy boyfriend. While they needed to keep appearances around fellow Order members, Tonks relished in the times that she could touch his shoulder or ruffle his hair anytime she wanted.

Yes, Harry Potter would need to come to Grimmauld Place very soon. The Weasleys will surely drive her dear cousin bonkers. Voldemort will grow stronger, the Order will prepare and fight, and everyone dear to her will risk life and limb. But in that moment that she never wanted to end, Tonks felt a strong feeling of satisfaction. She had properly brewed one of the toughest potions, which meant she could still be around her love when he was in his furry form.

As she drifted to sleep, she let the lovely smells of Caldey Island take over her nose. Sure, it smelled like the coast, but more importantly, it smelled like home. Before losing herself to her dreams, she made one last mental note for the day.

"Wolfsbane and chocolate. I think that can be a new Remus-Tonks tradition." A smile curled across her lips as she finally slipped into sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Postscript: So she did it! Did any of you really have a doubt? XD <strong>

**So Tonks is now officially Remus's Potions Mistress, which could have some consequences he never really expected. So stay alert for the next story in this series, where our favorite couple only has a few days to think up a way to distract the Muggles and bring Harry back to sanity!**

**Thank you, as always, for reading. Reviews are still greatly appreciated, and we'll see you soon in the next story. To track down what else I've written, along with other stories in this series, just do an Author Search for HammersNStrings.**


	10. Postscript: Author's Note

**Author's Note**

I apologize to all my readers when I say that this isn't a Remus/Tonks chapter. Those expecting a happy date chapter will be disappointed this one time, but I just need to write this out, because if I don't, it will eat away at me and my writing will be further impacted. So I ask you all to please be patient and allow me to tell my story.

I have grown up with Harry Potter. When the first book came out, I was 12 years old. I was an awkward, unpopular boy in a school that, despite its religious overtones, was dominated by cliques that I would never be a part of. I found Harry Potter and I was able to instantly relate, wishing upon all else that I could be whisked to a magical place – that I could be a wizard and go somewhere I would be accepted. However, at that age I knew it was impossible to achieve such a dream, and that I would just have to settle for my imagination, aided by Jo.

So, when I say that I've grown up with Harry, it's not overstating the truth. I waited in long lines at the midnight releases of the books, being a part of the swarming mob as the books were lowered from a palate. I went to every movie to see exactly how the films would differ from the books. Sometimes I would be disappointed, but the dominant feeling was the childlike wonder as the story came to life.

Somewhere along the way, before Deathly Hallows came out, I became a Lupin/Tonks shipper. I associated myself with Lupin in so many ways. I was always the outcast, burned by bad experiences with my peers. I was thoughtful, intelligent, and I definitely had my share of flaws. I sought for someone who could be my Tonks, the vibrant, lively character that could make all negative feelings go away. Eventually I found that person, and I can say that I'm definitely happier than I ever was as a child growing up.

But now that the final movie has been released and Harry's adventures have officially come to a close, and I feel empty for it. I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but it feels like a big chunk of my childhood has been wrenched from me. I feel like the magic has been forcibly taken from my life, and now I need to grow up and stop believing in such things.

So I'm not sure where this belongs, as a rant or a request or a plea. I just ask you all, the Remus/Tonks shippers, the people following my stories, or even just those who have stumbled across this, to please hold onto the magic in your life. I don't fear growing up, but I want to hold onto my inner child so badly, and it feels that it's becoming more and more impossible. All I desire at this moment is a happy story of love and hope – just one happy memory so that maybe I can produce a corporeal Patronus just one last time.

We are the molders of dreams. Please don't let the magic die.


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